Inside the crimson gauze tent, a warm mist hung in the air, the fragrance of flowers and dew filling the air. Tiny droplets of water clung to the young woman's eyebrows and long eyelashes, creating a scene of breathtaking beauty. But a sudden sound shattered the tranquility.

Wei Shuwan shivered in response, opened her eyes, and her consciousness returned in a hazy state.

The wind blowing in from outside blew against her slender back and made the gauze curtains flutter. Wei Shuwan turned her head and saw that the originally closed window had been blown open by the night wind, with both doors wide open and cold air rushing into the room.

No wonder it was so cold. She subconsciously sank deeper into the water, letting the warm water cover her shoulders and back, and then called out, "Zi Qiao!"

"Zi Qiao?"

Despite calling out twice, there was still no response. Wei Shuwan surfaced and peered over the screen, but seeing no one, she had no choice but to stretch out her arm to reach the coat hanging on the wooden beam.

She draped her coat over herself, wrapped it tightly, and forced herself out of the bathtub to close the window herself.

As she turned back, intending to warm herself in the hot spring, a drop of water suddenly fell and landed on her right cheek. The burning sensation was different from the cool water dripping from her hair. She instinctively raised her hand to wipe it away, and to her surprise, it was bright red!

"Blood……"

Realizing what was above her, Wei Shuwan slowly looked up, fear in her eyes. She quickly saw a blue-faced, malevolent ghost hanging from the dark ceiling, baring its teeth and staring at her!

She was immediately terrified, her mind went blank, and she fell into the bathtub next to her.

Before he could even explain, Li Qingchen was also filled with shock. Just one glance from him and the young lady fainted.

He had no intention of scaring her. He had just come in and hadn't yet adjusted to the misty atmosphere. He wanted to make sure there were no other people around before taking off his mask, explaining his purpose, and asking her to take him in for the night out of consideration for the life-saving grace he had received.

Who would have thought this would happen...

Seeing strings of bubbles rising to the surface of the water, Li Qingchen leaped to the ground and quickly pulled Wei Shuwan out of the bathtub. He didn't know what kind of ill-fated relationship he had with her; every time he saw her, she was either in the water or taking a bath. This time, well, she was both in the water and taking a bath.

Li Qingchen pinned Wei Shuwan against the tub and checked her complexion; she shouldn't have choked on water yet. He patted her face twice, but she showed no sign of waking, so he carried her to the bed.

Removing his mask, Li Qingchen let out a long sigh of relief. Looking down at the young woman again, he realized that she hadn't properly changed her clothes. When she went to close the window, she had just casually thrown on an outer garment, which was now disheveled and loose after the fall.

He hurriedly closed his eyes, trying not to look. He had done the same when she came out of the bath earlier.

However, if that's all there is to it, she'll probably still misunderstand him when she wakes up...

Therefore, after much hesitation, Li Qingchen cautiously reached out and began to feel for Wei Shuwan's clothes along the edge of the bed, intending to help her put them on.

However, he had only ever experienced being mute, but never blind, so he had no experience with this and his hands were clumsy. As he touched, he touched something soft and fluffy, which startled him so much that he immediately withdrew his hand and sighed.

Just then, footsteps sounded from outside. Li Qingchen frowned, and without thinking, quickly pulled the blanket over Wei Shuwan. Just as he was about to leap onto the ceiling again, the broken arrow in his chest suddenly flared up, making it difficult for him to stand, let alone use his lightness skill.

"Miss, is the water cold?" Zi Qiao asked as she stepped into the inner room. She had been called out by the old lady's people to give instructions for tomorrow, which was why she was a little late returning.

The old lady repeatedly urged her young lady not to leave Fuqu Pavilion tomorrow, not because she was afraid that her young lady would steal the limelight from the fourth young lady! After all, with her young lady's looks, she could easily overshadow the fourth young lady, and the fourth young lady's future would be ruined.

As the shadow cast on the screen drew ever closer, Li Qingchen knew he had no choice. He gritted his teeth, lifted Wei Shuwan's blanket, and crawled inside.

When Zi Qiao entered, there was nothing suspicious in the room. Seeing that Wei Shuwan was already on the bed, sleeping soundly, she knew that she was truly exhausted. So she quietly blew out the candlestick and then quietly withdrew.

The room fell silent again. Li Qingchen peeked out from under Wei Shuwan's blankets and found the room dark. His heart sank, and he didn't rush to get out of bed. Instead, he indulged himself in enjoying this moment of peace and lay down on the soft pillow next to Wei Shuwan's head.

He wondered what kind of poison was on the arrow that had made him so exhausted and weary that he couldn't even care about the proper conduct between men and women... Thinking this, Li Qingchen found a suitable reason for his ungentlemanly behavior.

A faint, delicate fragrance lingered around his nose. The chrysanthemums were in full bloom in September, and their aroma was indeed rich and fragrant, but this fragrance was not just the scent of chrysanthemum petals in the bathtub. Chrysanthemums are light and cool, but this fragrance was mixed with warmth, making one feel as if bathed in a gentle breeze.

Is this a woman's natural fragrance?

Li Qingchen tilted his head slightly, his lowered gaze falling on Wei Shuwan's profile. The young lady's breathing was even, her long eyelashes rising and falling rhythmically with each breath, like butterfly wings fluttering lightly.

For some reason, Li Qingchen's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and he quickly turned his face to look at Chengchen above his head.

The Imperial City Guard is too vicious. What kind of deadly poison did they apply? It has caused someone who is usually cold and indifferent to worldly greed—Li Qingchen consoled himself in this way, secretly clenching his hands under the covers into fists.

The wind picked up at night, followed by a sudden downpour. The raindrops, like hemp threads, gradually formed into lines, and blue thunder flashed in the distance.

Wei Shuwan has been terrified of thunder since she was a child, especially after her younger brother Wei Chengxiu lost his sight when he was three years old. Thunder became the beginning of all her nightmares.

She quickly broke out in a cold sweat on her forehead and nose, her eyelashes trembling violently. Finally, she woke up with a start when another clap of thunder rolled by.

In the complete darkness, Wei Shuwan gasped for breath, like someone nearly drowning suddenly drawing air. Then she turned to hug the soft pillow beside her, only to find herself embracing something warm and firm…

She followed the object downwards and quickly touched a hand. Her heart skipped a beat, and the scene she had seen looking up before fainting flashed through her mind.

There's a ghost!

Wei Shuwan abruptly sat up and retreated to the edge of the bed, her hands bracing against the edge, her unfocused eyes filled with fear and despair. Just as she opened her mouth to call for Ziqiao or Miaoxiang to come in and light the lamp, a large, dry, and strong hand suddenly covered her mouth, silencing any sound she uttered.

Wei Shuwan's words failed her, but her fear remained undiminished. She struggled desperately to break free from the large hand, but then a low, slightly husky male voice whispered in her ear:

"Don't call out, it's me."